1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable information terminals such as a pager and a radio receiver capable of receiving FM multichannel character broadcasting, and to an information scrolling method for use with such terminals. More particularly, the invention relates to a portable information terminal equipped with a rotary dial for scrolling displayed information on the basis of an information scrolling method for use with that terminal.
2. Background of the Invention
In recent years, advances in telecommunication technology and increasing user needs for mobile communication have brought about a phenomenal growth of portable information terminals such as portable telephones, personal handyphone systems (PHS), pagers, and radio receivers capable of receiving FM multichannel character broadcasting. Hybrid products each combining some of these features are already on the market.
The pager is a typical portable information terminal that has gained widespread use as a means of communication for transmitting and receiving desired messages (via operator) as well as for paging the holder of the device. Typically, the pager has a display unit for displaying a received message. The display unit generally functions in one of two scroll modes: line scroll mode in which the received message is scrolled one line at a time, and screen scroll mode in which the message is scrolled screen by screen.
A scroll mode of the pager is selected illustratively as follows: line scroll mode is set to one control key and screen scroll mode is assigned to another control key in advance. In operation, either of the two control keys is operated to invoke either line scroll mode or screen scroll mode.
Because the pager has only a limited number of control keys, information scroll is generally permitted in the downward direction only. However, users feel constrained and inconvenient when required to scroll information in the single direction alone; information should preferably be scrolled up and down to afford users enhanced convenience.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the above and other deficiencies of the prior art and to provide a portable information terminal and an information scrolling method for use therewith, whereby either line scroll mode or screen scroll mode is selected efficiently without additional provision of control keys and whereby screen scroll is effected both up and down for improved convenience of users.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following description and appended drawings.